I was an average boy with an average time consumption on the internet, before facebook happened to me, and as Vipul Goyal says in his comical representation also – everyone has a dark past and that past is called Orkut! Yes before facebook came into every Indian’s profile, Orkut played a very big role in paving a very solid path for facebook! Not that Orkut was not satisfying the urge for social connectivity, it more or less did. But the functionality of Facebook was more of openness and had more potential to go viral with topics.
Never-the-less the point is that facebook changed my life, let me explain how…
The sheer power of ‘publishing’ what you are thinking and the way in which I could voice my opinion, visible to all and not necessarily limited to my friends! I would also like to add that this is one of the very reason why am so attached to my facebook account. It allows my voice to reach out to a few thousands!
Connecting with my School Friends – Though Orkut started it, facebook made it’s way through in a better way, to be precise – because of an awesome way in which it suggests friends to me. It also ensures that I stay connected and not just add in the friend list!
Recently introduced ‘Subscribe’ – This allows you to follow people whom you would like to know more about but do not know him/her personally! And this person can share the updates in ‘public’ (and hence showing it to your subscribers) or show it to friends/ friends’ friend or customize it accordingly. So I share stuff that I want people to know about or expect it to go viral, in public. For personal updates and personal photo albums am very particular on who gets to see it so I choose ‘friends’!
Live Feed – Live updates from your friends keeps flowing on the right side and makes it easy for you to jump in whenever you want. These updates are the ones where you are not directly involved (showcases what your friends are upto) but as soon as you jump in, these updates starts appearing in your main page.
I am guessing the inspiration for the above 2 ideas came from twitter!
That number in red on the top called notifications – Do you also get excited as soon as this makes its appearance? How often have you left it as is even when you know there are a few numbers in red calling you desperately to be clicked!! These days it has become the first thing I check as soon as I get up! You may not ask why but I will tell you anyways. It shows how much of your updates are valued by your friends and subscribers. The more the notifications the more value it entrusts in your existence at facebook.
Advertising on facebook – I have also advertised here and I found it very satisfying, the CPA is high but since I am able to reach out to the right audience the CLV is very high hence I am ok with the pricing (since I know what kind of leads I get at lower rates!) as soon as we get more funding we will do more of advertising here!
Off sight off mind – It’s also true that as soon as you stop updating your status, no one will come knocking your door, asking for you! You better be consistent else be left behind! In other words, you may not be missed.
Show off? – Your facebook profile also allows you to showoff among your friends 🙂 This does not mean that I over exaggerate all that is going on in my life but at least I keep sharing interesting happenings from life! The engagement that you get from others in terms of ‘Likes’ and ‘comments’ shows how worthy your updates are. In a period of time you get to understand the behavior of your friends and subscribers on what type of updates are appreciated. I tend not to share stuff that attracts no interest, you see! I also feel that some sense of competition also creeps in, in time. To be the one to has the good stuff to update or sometime to be the first one to update about something etc. But I guess it’s only natural, no?
I have also recently created a ‘page’ here called ‘Swami Adi‘. Now this is supposed to showcase the funny side of me and it was solely inspired from the overwhelming response that I get on the updates on my personal profile. I thought, lets have an Avatar of me who will do all types of mischief, in a very humorous way! And my tag line is – The one and only Gyani – Swami Adi ! To get the latest and the most profound Gyan updates…LIKE this page.
To re-emphasize I love my facebook account and will always do so 🙂
awesome write up adi!! as always u rock 🙂